In the introduction to “Four Hundred Souls,” Dr. Ibram X. Kendi describes the work as “a Black choir singing the spiritual into the heavens of history” — an apt description for this many-voiced collection of essays and poetry by 80 different authors who explore 400 years of Black history.
Kingston’s brother, Khalid, an 18-year-old soccer star, inexplicably dies on the field. Twelve-year-old Kingston (King) James lives in rural Louisiana and thinks Khalid has returned to this world as a dragonfly.
Out of the past gloom,
Lindy West is best known for her best-selling book “Shrill” and the Hulu series made from it starring comedian Aidy Bryant.
If you’ve read my previous reviews, you’ll remember that I raved about a book a few years ago written by Stuart Turton.
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Red cardinals sing —
Some Black history will be made right here this summer, when Champaign superintendent-to-be Shelia Boozer joins Urbana’s Jennifer Ivory-Tatum and Danville’s Alicia Geddis — three African American women leading the area’s three largest school districts.
Anyone who has been paying attention to kidlit for the last decade or more will tell you nonfiction is no longer the dry reciting of facts (which, of course, you can now get online), but instead has evolved into some of the most engaging, creative writing there is.
The 2021 American Library Association’s awards were announced last week.
The library director talks about a special visit by a Pulitzer Prize winner, her 'sacred' ease-into-the-morning routine, the challenges of leading during a pandemic and much more.
Icicles in line
High school senior Laura Dean is dumping Freddie for the third time. And she’s doing it by text. I bet that’s pretty usual these days. Seems pretty rough.
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All three libraries have been closed since late November when the state began imposing stricter rules to try and slow down the spread of coronavirus.
As winter grey settles in across central Illinois, local bookworms may be looking for some wintry adventures to have from the warmth of their favorite reading nook. I recently read two great historical fiction titles that offer thrilling cold-weather tales combined with life-and-death stakes.
Christmas cactus blooms
It seemed in order to start this year with a dose of kindness and empathy, just what these two lovely new picture books offer.
Secret giggles erupt
Here, poet Yusef Komunyakaa, who teaches at New York University, shows us a fine portrait of the hard life of a worker — in this case, a horse — and, through metaphor, the terrible, clumsy beauty of his final moments.
In Betty Culley’s novel in verse, “Three Things I Know Are True” (HarperTeen 2020), teenage Liv will not give up on her older brother, Jonah, who accidentally shot himself in the head with a gun belonging to his best friend’s father.
Any book with Scrabble at its heart is bound to be a favorite with me, but I loved “You Go First,” by Erin Entrada Kelly, for many other reasons as well.
Cardinals among
“Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey,” by Kathleen Rooney.
We slice time just here
“Arrowood and the Thames Corpses,” by Mick Finlay.
There are certain books we can read over and over again, our go-to titles, the ones that inspire read-alike lists.
Beyond the solstice
Shopping isn’t easy or fun, and the simple fact is most people could use a hand when it comes to finding an acceptable gift for a friend or relative.
When I saw Emma Donoghue’s new book on the shelves, I had to pull a copy and check it out for myself.
“Best of The Year” lists are continuing to come out, and here are two picture books that are included on Kirkus Reviews’ “Best of 2020.” I’m honored to say that one of the books is mine.
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